Franglo

“Acclimatization” I have chosen this as my word of the week. We all know that change is hard; this week has felt like jumping into the middle of the ocean without a lifejacket. Change is hard and there is always a period of adjustment when moving to a new city. I have picked up and moved across the country several times on my own, so I should be used to this.

Québec, feels like you are in another country. Yes, I have been in a long distance relationship for two years commuting back and forth but I have never had to do things on my own. I would get to our home, park the car and not have to think about getting around for the duration of my stay. This week I had to give up my trusty translator and venture out on my own with a transit schedule and a limited comprehension of the language.

The trains were running late but I managed to remember the route from Tuesday and got to class just in time. I like to be early and have time to pick my seat, get settled before jumping into a lecture. The evening began with us reviewing our homework assignments from Tuesday, on oral presentation of someone we like and someone we hate. We moved onto some other complex elements of the language. The evening was a bit draining as I was tried from a very busy day at work due to a project needing to be submitted on Friday. I was having difficulty concentrating at the end of class which frustrates me because I feel I am not learning.

For those that know me well, they would tell you I could get lost within minutes as I am very directionally challenged. That is what happened last night. I have thirty minutes to get from the YMCA to the Gare Central. This should be plenty of time but the language school is on the fifth floor serviced by two very slow old elevators. When you have 100 students finishing and two old elevators it can take two or three elevators before you can exit the building. Food for thought: Access to stairs would be a great solution to this problem. Last night I got lost and started to panic that I would miss my train. The consequences of missing my train are dire; I would have to stay downtown for another hour and would not get home until 11:30. I corrected my mistake and got the station with five minutes to spare, got onto my train and tried to relax.

All the elements of the week, adjusting to working from home again, navigating the transit system and train stations amongst weather delays, going back to school to learn a difficult language have me very thankful it’s Friday. It’s a French immersion weekend, meaning we have the kids. I will be studying to ensure I fully understand the elements of last week’s lessons while preparing for the week ahead.

Cheers to Friday, I see a glass of wine in my future.